Initiatives Plan 2007
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
Convening the Region for 45 Years
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
4000 Gateway Centre Boulevard
Suite 100
Pinellas Park, FL 33782
727-570-5151
www.tbrpc.org
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Contents
1.
Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.
Purpose and Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.
Priority Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
First Tier
Convener of the Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Promote Regional Leadership/Stewardship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Strategies for Growth - Decision Support Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Strengthen the SRPP to Improve Land Use Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Affordable Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
f.
g.
h.
i.
Second Tier
Protection of regionally significant environmental and historical resources . . . . 13
Protection of water resources - water for people and the environment . . . . . . . . 13
Transportation - seek improved coordination between communities . . . . . . . . . 13
Property Taxes and Insurance - convene and advocate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.
Ongoing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
a.
Agency on Bay Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
b.
Local Emergency Planning Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
c.
Hurricane and Hazard Preparedness Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
d.
Telework Tampa Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
e.
Bay Soundings - Journal on Tampa Bay and its Environs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
f.
Economic Development District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
g.
Regional Information Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
h.
Expanded Technical Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5.
Mandated Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
a.
Strategic Regional Policy Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
b.
Development of Regional Impact Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
c.
Intergovernmental Coordination and Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
d.
Local Government Comprehensive Plan Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.
7.
8.
List of Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Issues Identification Summary from Council/Staff Visioning Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Issue Cards - Comments Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Initiatives Plan - 2007
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Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Initiatives Plan - 2007
Mission Statement
To serve our citizens and member governments
by providing a forum to foster communication,
coordination, and collaboration in identifying
and addressing issues and needs regionally.
˜˜˜
The Regional Planning Council is recognized as Florida’s only multipurpose
regional entity that is in a position to plan for and coordinate
intergovernmental solutions to growth-related problems on greater-than-local
issues, provide technical assistance to local governments, and meet other needs
of the communities in each region.......Florida Statutes 186.502(4)1
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Purpose and Format
This plan is an action plan for the Council.1 This plan is the Council’s version of a strategic plan
which will serve several purposes:
P
Identify several priority initiatives that the Council wishes to engage during the
next three to four years;
P
Identify the ongoing initiatives and programs that the Council has traditionally
chosen to participate;
P
Outline the Council’s mandated programs and activities for the upcoming year;
and
P
Provide the preceding in a concise format for easy discussion.
The initiatives in this document are separated into three categories:
Priority Initiatives
Priority initiatives are undertaken on an as-needed basis. These initiatives may be
an extension of existing Council activities or completely new undertakings.
Ongoing Activities
Ongoing Activities are those activities that the Council has traditionally
conducted, but are not mandated by Federal or State regulations.
Mandated Programs and Activities
Mandated Programs and Activities are those programs that are mandated by
Federal or State regulations. [§ - denotes a Council statutory responsibility
identified in this document]
1
This plan should not to be confused with Future of the Region: A Strategic Regional
Policy Plan (FRSRPP) which is a strategic plan for the Tampa Bay region. The FRSRPP is
required by Florida Statutes; this action plan is not. See page 19 for more on the FRSRPP.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Initiatives Plan - 2007
Priority Initiatives
The Council has identified the following as Priority Initiatives:
First Tier
These initiatives received the highest rating of feasibility and importance at the most recent
Council/Staff Visioning Session.
P
P
P
P
P
Convener of the Region
Promote Regional Leadership/Stewardship to Accomplish Success
Strategies for Growth Management - Decision Support Tools
Strengthen SRPP to improve Land Use Planning
Affordable Housing (emphasis on workforce and essential worker housing)
These First Tier initiatives are addressed on the following pages with a brief introduction and a
set of objectives and tasks.
Second Tier
These initiatives were identified as important; however, they either scored as less important or
less feasible for Council impact as the First Tier Initiatives.
P
P
P
P
Protection of regionally significant environmental and historical resources
Protection of water resources - water for people and the environment
Transportation - seek improved coordination between communities
Property Taxes and Insurance - convene and advocate
These Second Tier initiatives are analyzed in a table on page 10 that lists the issue and any
current or proposed Council program that is addressing or may potentially address the issue.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Convener of the Region
The Council desires to examine issues that are truly regional (multi-jurisdictional) in nature and
not interfere with local jurisdictional issues. The Council is an association of governments that
seeks to strengthen the region. The Council needs to maintain its reputation as an impartial body
that listens to all sides while seeking to help all parties better understand the issues in a nonjudgmental format. To be a true “convener of the region,” public/private sector participation
needs to be increased.
The October 2006 Visioning Session yielded “Convene the many state/regional agencies to
discuss cross issues” as a top priority.
Objective(s):
•
•
•
•
•
§
Convene the many state/regional agencies to discuss cross issues.
Provide a non-partisan forum to objectively discuss issues of regional significance.
Maintain and staff the RPAC as a forum for discussion and coordination on technical
issues related to planning and development issues within the region.
Raise awareness and promote issues of regional significance.
Elevate local concerns to help identify regional solutions and assistance.
Maintain the Council’s dispute resolution process.
Tasks and Activities:
g
g
g
Convene workshops on issues of regional importance.
Convene a group of agency heads/leaders to discuss regional issues and cooperation (consider for inclusion: DOT, DEP, SWFWMD, water authorities, education, economic
development, RPCs, county planning directors, etcetera).
Continue to convene RPAC bi-monthly or as needed.
[§ - denotes a Council statutory responsibility identified in this document]
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Promote Regional Leadership/Stewardship
to Accomplish Success
“Leadership can be thought of as a capacity to define oneself to others in a way that clarifies and
expands a vision of the future.” - Edwin H. Friedman.
“The price of greatness is responsibility” - Winston Churchill.
At its October 2006 Visioning Session, leaders of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
acknowledged that they must act as regional stewards and provide leadership on regional issues.
Objective(s):
•
Create a sense of stewardship of regional issues and resources within the Council to develop
and nurture the Council and its members as leaders on regional issues.
Tasks and Activities:
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
Participate in and support Reality Check Tampa Bay (realitychecktampabay.org), the Century
Commission process, FDOT’s Future Cooridors planning process and other “catalyst”
activities such as FDOT’s Regional Transit Needs Assessment.
Raise awareness and promote issues of regional significance.
Elevate local concerns to help identify regional solutions and assistance.
Develop a regional agenda process and build legislative support.
Meet with regional Legislators and/or delegations.
Utilize Florida Regional Councils Association to promote regional agendas and to network
issues that have statewide importance.
Maintain familiarity with FAC/FLC/Chamber issues.
Encourage Council member and staff participation in Leadership Florida and Leadership
Tampa Bay and local leadership programs (like Pasco, Tampa, St. Pete, Pinellas, etc.).
Support the activities of state, regional, and local leadership programs.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Initiatives Plan - 2007
strategies for Growth
Decision Support Tools
What regional and local planning in Florida has lacked for many years is vision. In past planning
practices, communities were “planning” without a clear direction for their future. Many
communities in Florida and the nation are turning to the visioning process as a method to envision
what they want their communities to be in the future. Various techniques have been developed to
facilitate the visioning process. Since a community would only go through the visioning “process”
once every few years, it makes sense to utilize assistance from others that have been through the
process or have facilitated the process on a regular basis.
As the Tampa Bay region grows, it is converting more and more land into urban uses. Various
planning activities can benefit from a regional perspective on land development and resource
utilization patterns. Council has been developing a set of decision support tools to assist policy
makers and planners in making more informed decisions. Decision support tools help policy makers
base their decisions more on “facts” and less on “politics.” The Council’s Decision Support
Geographic Information System (DS-GIS) simulates the effects of a variety of different planning
scenarios. The DS-GIS calculates outcomes to those scenarios and shows how they relate to the local
and regional landscape of the future. The DS-GIS suite includes separate modules that focus on land
use, environmental, economic, fiscal, emergency management, and domestic security issues.
Working within a GIS, each module clearly displays its forecasts on a map. Patterns and trends can
easily be seen in the DS-GIS, because the maps show how the simulated model outcomes affect real
places in the Tampa Bay area.
Objective(s):
•
•
•
Promote planning and development principles to create a livable region.
Maintain regional perspective on land development conditions and trends.
Develop decision support tools to provide quantitative analysis of land development issues.
Tasks and Activities:
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
Participate in and Support Reality Check Tampa Bay (realitychecktampabay.org).
Develop and maintain the Decision Support System consisting of GIS modules related to
land use, emergency management, economic development and the like.
Maintain and enhance economic/fiscal DSS tools such as REMI Policy Insight, IMPLAN,
and the Fiscal Impact Analysis Model (FIAM).
Provide economic modeling services to the economic development, business, and planning
communities.
Maintain and enhance emergency management related DSS tools such as CAMEO, ALOHA,
SLOSH, and HAZUS.
Conduct workshops on planning and “livability” issues.
Maintain capacity to assist communities in the visioning process.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Strengthen the SRPP
“To improve Land Use Planning”
Chapter 186, Florida Statutes, requires that each Regional Planning Council prepare and adopt a
Strategic Regional Policy Plan. The five required subject areas are Affordable Housing, Economic
Development, Emergency Preparedness, Natural Resources, and Regional Transportation. These
areas cross over many of the issues that are addressed by this plan. The SRPP was originally adopted
in 1995 and was last significantly amended in September of 2005.
The SRPP is a tool that the Council will utilize to implement the strategies for growth identified in
the companion initiative.
Objective(s):
•
•
Utilize the SRPP to promote planning and development principles that create a livable
region.
Include a regional “vision” in the SRPP to provide a regional perspective on land
development scenarios and how they must be compatible with transportation facilities and
environmental concerns.
Tasks and Activities:
g
g
g
Work with Reality Check Tampa Bay [www.realitychecktampabay.org], the Century
Commission [www.centurycommission.org], and FDOT’s Future Corridors
[www.futurecorridors.org] planning processes as catalysts for strengthening the SRPP.
Engage DCA, FDOT, FDEP and other stakeholders (such as the groups above) to identify
how the SRPP can be a better tool for planning.
Work with the legislature to include a “vision” component to the SRPP. This would be a
non-regulatory tool that local government plans would need to be “consistent with.”
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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affordable Housing
Income levels in the state of Florida have not kept pace with rapidly rising housing values. The gap
is rapidly widening in most areas of the state. Statewide the median household income has grown
by 15 percent over the past five years while median housing prices have doubled. Just three years
ago most of Florida’s housing markets were considered affordable by most metrics. Now only a
select few are considered affordable and they are disappearing fast.
Historically Florida has been an attractive state for young families to move to and begin or extend
their professional careers. One reason was that Florida had relatively affordable housing
opportunities compared with other states with economic vitality. Now the unprecedented rise in
Florida’s housing prices has created an environment where it is difficult for our growing businesses
to attract or retain talented young and upwardly mobile professionals. One of the more popular
economic development strategies today is attracting and retaining the group of workers called the
creative class -young and well educated workers – to drive entrepreneurial efforts and increase
productivity. The lack of workforce housing at reasonable prices will hurt this and other efforts to
attract quality workers to Florida.
Affordable and workforce housing have been a Council concern for several years. In October 2005,
TBRPC conducted a Workforce Housing Think Tank with over 200 attendees. Much was learned
at this symposium and the Council’s Employer-Assisted Housing initiative was launched. TBRPC,
with the eleven Regional Planning Councils, will lead an effort to provide employers with the
technical assistance needed to establish employer-assisted housing. All of the RPCs will work with
existing housing assistance groups like the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Florida Housing
Coalition, 1000 Friends of Florida, and the Housing Catalyst Program. Services provided would
include workshops, Q & A, information on employer benefits, resources, and sample materials.
Objective(s):
•
•
Promote the development of affordable housing with a strong emphasis on workforce
housing.
Gain legislative approval for the Council’s statewide Employer-Assisted Housing
initiative.(The Employer-Assisted Housing Initiative is defined in the Council’s 2007
Legislative Issues brochure.)
Tasks and Activities:
g
g
Implement, if adequate funding is secured, the Employer-Assisted Housing program.
Work with Developments of Regional Impact to better mitigate their impacts on affordable
housing with an emphasis on the essential workers’ and workforce housing segments.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Second Tier Priority Initiatives (Issues)
The following issues were identified at the October 2006 Visioning Session but fell short of making the list of the top five issues that were
deemed important as well as very feasible for the Council to have an impact. Since these issues are very important and can already be found
in one of the three Council activities (priority, ongoing and mandated), they are listed as Tier Two Initiatives.
Issue
Related Current Council
Activity/Program
Protection of Regionally Significant Environmental
and Historical Resources
• SRPP has identified Natural
Resources of Regional Significance
(NRRS) which are used as basis for
Comp Plan, IC&R, and DRI reviews.
Protection of Water Resources“water for people and the environment”
• Agency on Bay Management
• Staff is assisting Tampa Bay Water
with public participation in their
Master Water Plan update.
Transportation
“seek improved coordination between communities”
• Ex-officio on MPO CCC
• Staff participates in MPO
committees.
• Regional Transit Roundtable (staff)
• Staff is updating the Regional
Multi-use Trails Plan for the CCC.
Property taxes and Insurance
“convene and advocate”
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
•Emergency Preparedness Planning
activities that encourage mitigation to
reduce property loss.
• Council resolution requesting a
special legislative session.
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Initiatives Plan - 2007
Potential Council
Activity/Task
• More vigorously “stand-up”
for the Natural Resources of
Regional Significance in
reviews.
• Inventory Regionally
Significant historical resources.
• Gain broader support for SRPP
transportation element as a
“plan.”
• Participate in Future Corridors
planning process.
Ongoing Activities
The Council has identified the following ongoing activities:
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Agency on Bay Management (ABM)
Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
Hurricane and Hazard Preparedness Planning
Telework Tampa Bay
Bay Soundings - Journal on Tampa Bay and its Environs
Economic Development District
Regional Information Center
Technical Assistance
Agency on Bay Management
Begun in 1985, the Agency on Bay Management has established itself as the regional forum for
issues relating to Tampa Bay. It is a consortium of all interests affecting or affected by Bay
management and use decisions: commercial, industrial, political, recreational, regulatory and
scientific groups as well as the public at large. It also serves as the natural resources committee
to TBRPC. The Agency was primarily responsible for the institution of the Surface Water
Management and Improvement Program in Florida, and designation of the Sarasota Bay and the
Tampa Bay National Estuary Programs.
Objectives:
C
Serve as a regional forum for addressing issues affecting the Tampa Bay estuary.
C
Serve as advisor to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) on natural
resource matters.
C
Support the goals of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
C
Provide input to the State and Federal legislatures on Tampa Bay-related issues and
opportunities.
•
Maintain and implement an Action Plan consistent with the principles of the Tampa Bay
Estuary Program’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (Action Plan
adopted July 1998).
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Local Emergency Planning Committee
Federal and State law charges the LEPC with responsibilities for hazardous materials planning,
training, exercising, and maintaining records to support the public’s right-to-know under the
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA). Staff is also responsible
for assisting facilities to comply with the Florida Accidental Release Prevention and Risk
Management Planning Act (ARP/RMP) of 1999, and to serve as member of the state audit team
when Tampa Bay facilities are being audited under the provisions of this statute. Staff is
responsible for planning LEPC meetings and assisting the LEPC Chair in conducting business.
Objective(s):
§
Promote awareness of presence of hazardous materials and safeguard needs.
§
Provide training opportunities for public sector responders to HAZMAT incidents.
§
Develop regional plans for hazardous materials incidents response.
§
Serves as resource for public’s right-to-know.
[§ - denotes LEPC statutory responsibility under Federal and State law and a Council responsibility by contractual
obligation.]
Hurricane and Hazard Preparedness Planning
E
Emergency Preparedness is one of the five mandated issue areas of the Strategic Regional Policy
Plan. TBRPC has maintained an emergency management program since 1978 facilitating
regional emergency management communication through the Emergency Management Directors’
Committee and its subcommittees. Staff seeks grants and private sector sponsorship to address
major issues identified by the Emergency Management Committee and provides technical data to
the local emergency management community. m
Objective(s):
•
Promote emergency awareness and preparedness within the region through public
education.
•
Provide regional evacuation planning coordination services to the region.
•
Address the issues of shelter deficit, special needs shelter, post-disaster redevelopment
and hazard mitigation through research, training and regional coordination and
cooperation.
•
Build public-private partnerships in the region to promote hazard mitigation through
Project Impact.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Telework Tampa Bay
Telework Tampa Bay (TTB) is an initiative of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and
Bay Area Commuter Services. TTB is recruiting Pinellas and Hillsborough employers, both
public and private sector, to implement pilot Telework programs within their worksites.
Telework (or telecommuting) is a tool to help businesses improve their bottom line. Statistics
show that companies utilizing telework in their businesses show improved productivity among
their teleworking staff, reduced absenteeism, increased ability to recruit and retain valuable
employees and the potential to reduce overhead expenses. Telework is also a tool to help
businesses continue operations in the event of disaster, either natural or man-made. By putting
together a process by which key employees can work remotely, business can continue, even when
others cannot.
Employers agreeing to participate in the “pilot” are provided with step-by-step program
development at no cost. Each pilot project is tailored to the individual business; all the tools
needed to implement a pilot project are provided by the Telework Tampa Bay team, with as much
or as little “hands-on” assistance as needed.
Objectives:
C
Promote Telework as an alternative mode of transportation.
C
Promote Telework as a way to increase workplace productivity.
C
Promote Telework as an emergency preparedness tool.
Tasks and Activities:
g
g
Continue to staff Telework Tampa Bay.
Seek additional funding sources to continue and expand the Telework Tampa Bay
program.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Bay Soundings
Bay Soundings is a 16-page, quarterly environmental journal that provides objective information
on issues affecting Tampa Bay, its watershed and the natural resources of the Tampa Bay region.
This education project supports the Tampa Bay SWIM plan and is consistent with the Tampa
Bay Estuary Program goals. Through the education efforts of Bay Soundings, residents as well
as visitors to the region learn about the restoration and preservation of Tampa Bay and its
associated watershed. They also learn about challenges to Bay health, such as stormwater runoff,
loss of habitat in the watershed, invasive species; and about ways they can help protect the
region's water supply and its natural resources.
The publication's circulation of 25,000 is regularly distributed throughout Pasco, Pinellas,
Hillsborough and Manatee counties, and beyond depending on the subject matter in each edition.
This free publication is distributed to and through government and non-government agencies,
local attractions, private businesses, environmental clubs, schools, libraries, elected officials and
sponsors. Several funding partners have provided multi-year support.
Objectives:
C
Provide objective information on issues affecting the Tampa Bay estuary.
Tasks and Activities:
g
Publish Bay Soundings Quarterly.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Economic Development District
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) is a funded Economic Development District
(EDD) through the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration’s
planning program. The Tampa Bay Region has held the designation as an EDD since 2003.
Local governments in the district are now eligible for an additional 5% bonus under EDA funded
programs for construction projects (i.e, 55% federal participation instead of 50%). This
designation also relieves annual reporting of county adopted Comprehensive Economic
Development Strategy (CEDS), which are now covered under the regional CEDS. EDD
designation also increases access to additional federal funding such as for disaster preparedness
and recovery, brownfield mitigation, revolving loan fund, and the Southern Crescent
Commission.
The primary functions of the EDD are (but are not limited to):
- the preparation and maintenance of a CEDS.
- Assist in the implementation strategies identified in the CEDS.
- Provide technical assistance to local governments and economic development
organizations on their economic development activities, programs, and grant applications.
The EDD is comprised of the four counties that make up the Tampa Bay Regional Planning
Council (Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas, and all municipalities therein). The staff of
the Regional Planning Council acts as the administrative arm of the EDD. The EDD must
provide an annual report of the economic development activities in the region by the end of April
each year.
Objective(s):
•
Maintain the Tampa Bay Economic Development District designation.
Tasks and Activities:
g
Annually update the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
g
Provide technical assistance to the region’s economic development partners.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Regional Information Center
The Regional Information Center (RIC) is a convenient resource in providing technical assistance
about the Tampa Bay region with its computer catalogued library containing a wide variety of
books, periodicals, reports, and census data. The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council is an
official United States Census Bureau repository. The Council maintains a home page on the
Internet at www.tbrpc.org. The page provides up-to-date information of the Council’s
activities as well as calendars and agendas. Most Council reports can be found on the web site.
A subscription email service is maintained to provide immediate access to Council agendas and
reports. Sign up at www.tbrpc.org
Objective(s):
C
Provide regional data and Census data through the Regional Information Center.
C
Serve as a clearinghouse for technical and administrative materials related to planning
and development in the region.
•
Develop the Council's web page as a preeminent regional resource for regional data and
information with an emphasis on collection and dissemination of data needed by the
business and development community, natural and physical resource managers, local
governments, economic development practitioners and grant writers.
•
Provide economic and fiscal modeling services to the economic development, business,
and planning communities.
•
Maintain presence on the Internet for public access to our agency functions and to assist
in providing a clearinghouse of local and regional planning information.
Tasks:
g
Enhance Council's Web Page to include additional resources and Internet hyperlinks with
emphasis on collection and dissemination of data needed by the business and
development community, natural and physical resource managers, local governments,
economic development practitioners and grants writers.
g
Publish all Council agendas and minutes on the Council's web site.
g
Maintain the grants information resource page on the web site.
g
Maintain the REMI Policy Insight and IMPLAN economic analysis models.
g
Maintain a prototype fiscal impact analysis model.
g
Maintain a “Visioning” information database.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Expanded Technical Assistance
In addition to the traditional areas of technical assistance provided by the Council, new services
have been developed to assist local governments, agencies, and communities. These services
include the Economic Analysis Program, fiscal impact analysis modeling, meeting facilitation,
vision planning, and other related services. Communities or agencies that need an independent
analysis or viewpoint of regional or community issues can turn to TBRPC for an “honest broker”
approach to their research or planning needs.
Since its inception, the Council has assisted local governments with limited staff and/or planning
expertise. Implementation of Florida’s growth management requirements has proven to be
burdensome for many smaller communities. The RPC is able to provide the technical assistance
necessary to either fulfill these requirements or aid the local government in revising its
comprehensive plan to more accurately reflect current conditions. Technical assistance in other
areas of planning can also be provided as necessary and as staff expertise permits.
TBRPC has been a leader in regional geographic information systems for a decade in the State of
Florida. Many organizations have caught up in spatial databases and geographic map technology
due to lower startup costs. As technology changes rapidly, it is important to keep within
reasonable reach of current trends in such areas as mapping, data interchange, graphic output
capability, and information distribution.
The Economic Analysis Program was developed to help communities predict how policy changes
or economic events (activities) will affect the economy. Our tools include strong data sources in
the Regional Information Center, REMI Policy Insight® (a highly sophisticated econometric
model), Implan® (a basic input/output economic model), and extensive staff training. TBRPC
has been the lead RPC in updating and implementing the DCA Fiscal Impact Analysis Model
(FIAM) statewide.
With Convener of the Region as a priority initiative, staff has been developing skills and
techniques in meeting facilitation. This service has been utilized by regional organizations and
communities to identify problems and issues and to develop strategies for solutions. The council
has a state of the art Audience Response Card system that allows real time response and
information gathering.
Objective(s):
•
Provide technical assistance on an as-needed basis to local governments, regional
agencies, businesses and communities.
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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Mandated Activities
The following activities constitute the mandated activities of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning
Council:
P
Strategic Regional Policy Plan
P
Development of Regional Impact Program
P
Intergovernmental Coordination and Review
P
Local Government Comprehensive Plan Review
Strategic Regional Policy Plan
Chapter 186, Florida Statutes, requires that each Regional Planning Council prepare and adopt a
Strategic Regional Policy Plan. The five required subject areas are:
•
Housing
•
Economic Development
•
Emergency Preparedness
•
Natural Resources
•
Regional Transportation
Objective(s):
§
Meet all statutory requirements relative to Chapter 186, Florida statutes related to
Strategic Regional Policy Plans (SRPP).
§
Maintain and implement Future of the Region: A Strategic Regional Policy Plan as the
region’s SRPP.
[§ - denotes a Council statutory responsibility]
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Developments of Regional Impact
Large land development projects in Florida must undergo Development of Regional Impact
review in order to identify their regional or multi-jurisdictional impacts. The Tampa Bay
Regional Planning Council has extensive statutory responsibilities to coordinate the process as
well as to identify regional impacts and the appropriate mitigation.
Objective(s):
§
Meet all statutory requirements relative to Developments of Regional Impacts (DRI).
•
Coordinate with all relevant parties (local governments, state agencies, developers, etc.)
concerning the DRI process.
[§ - denotes a Council statutory responsibility]
Products/Outcomes:
•
Preapplication Reports
•
Preliminary Reviews
•
DRI Final Reports
•
Development Order Reports
•
Notice of Proposed Change Reviews
•
Development Order Amendment Reports
•
Annual Report Summaries
•
Annual DRI Workshops
•
Technical Correspondence concerning process or substantive issues.
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Intergovernmental Coordination and Review
The Intergovernmental Coordination and Review (IC&R) process is federally mandated under
Executive Order #82-12372 to communicate with governments as early in the planning cycle as
possible to explain specific plans, actions and proposals. The Regional Planning Council
provides a forum and opportunity for local governments to express recommendations and/or
comments to permitting or (where applicable) federal funding agencies. The Federal Consistency
process is a Florida Department of Community Affairs contracted function with the 11 RPCs
whereby local governments are provided a similar commenting opportunity to identify
(in)consistency with their own Plans regarding projects within or adjacent to the State’s Coastal
Zone. The RPC acts as “facilitator” to channel these comments to the Florida State
Clearinghouse.
Objective(s):
§
Provide coordination mechanism for local governments of the Region to comment on
development activities and programs which affect their communities.
•
Increase awareness of dredge & fill permit applications, federal grant applications, and
“other proposals” within the region.
•
Provide technical assistance on an as-needed basis to local governments and the private
sector.
[§ - denotes a Council statutory responsibility]
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Local Government Comprehensive Plan Review
The Regional Planning Council (RPC) is required to ensure that local government
comprehensive plans or amendments are consistent with its SRPP. It must also ascertain whether
the comprehensive plan or amendment impacts upon identified regional resources or facilities
has any extra-jurisdictional impacts. Should problems be identified, the Regional Planning
Council can provide technical assistance to the local government in correcting the problem. It
can also serve as an intermediator between the local government and the Florida Department of
Community Affairs.
Objective(s):
§
Requirement for RPC review of comprehensive plans and amendments (163.3184(3),
FS).
§
Ensure consistency of comprehensive plans and amendments with SRPP (9J-5.021,
FAC).
§
Submittal of comprehensive plans and amendments to RPC. (9J-11.006(6), FAC).
§
Identification of impacts on regional facilities/resources.
[§ - denotes a Council statutory responsibility]
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Acronyms
ABM
Agency on Bay Management
ALOHA
Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres
BACS
Bay Area Commuter Services
CAMEO
Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations
CEDS
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
DCA
Department of Community Affairs
DRI
Development of Regional Impact
DSS or DS-GIS
Decision Support System or Decision Support Geographic Information System
FAC
Florida Association of Counties
FIAM
Fiscal Impact Analysis Model
FLC
Florida League of Cities
FOR
Future of the Region Awards Program
FRSRPP
Future of the Region: A Strategic Regional Policy Plan for the Tampa Bay
Region
GIS
Geographic Information System
HAZMAT
Hazardous Materials
HAZUS
Hazards U.S.
IC&R
Intergovernmental Coordination and Review
LGCP
Local Government Comprehensive Plan
LEPC
Local Emergency Planning Committee
SLOSH
Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes
SRPP
Strategic Regional Policy Plan
TBEP
Tampa Bay Estuary Program
REMI
Regional Economic Models, Inc.
RIC
Regional Information Center
RPAC
Regional Planning Advisory Committee
RPC
Regional Planning Council
TBRPC
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
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